Padma Vibhushan long overdue for Dilip Kumar: Randeep Hooda

Bengaluru: Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda today said Dilip Kumar is a fantastic actor and he should have been bestowed with Padma Vibhushan much earlier in his career.

“I saw his films much later in my life. He (Dilip Kumar) is a fantastic actor, and he is definitely a treasure that we have had in cinema world and in the country,” he said.

“I am very happy. They should have given it (Padma Vibhushan) to him earlier,” Hooda told PTI on the sidelines of a function here.

Kumar, on December 13, was presented with the Padma Vibhushan by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the thespian’s residence in Mumbai.

Asked if at any point of time he was inspired by Dilip Kumar’s performances, Hooda said he liked the ‘Tragedy King’ as a young actor and cherished watching films like Devdas, Madhumati, Daag and Yahudi among others.

“I have seen all of his films like Devdas, Madhumati, Daag and Yahudi. Dilip Kumar has done some good, fantastic films. I liked him as a young actor,” he said.

Asked whether he was happy to be tagged as an experimental actor, Hooda said he is fortunate to get opportunities to play different roles, but he doesn’t purposefully try to do them.

“I am fortunate. I do get the opportunity to do different things. Most of the time it is not that I am purposefully trying to do different things. I keep getting these jobs, then I go saying ‘Oh damn how I am going to do this?’ That’s how my career is progressing,” Hooda said.